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[Talon]

Edit: Downed by YouTube. Rehosted by The Verge. Also, Here, thanks (?) Askani.

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This might not be the first time we've heard a Britney Spears track without any Auto-Tune enhancement, but it doesn't mean it makes us cringe any less this time around.

On July 2, the unedited vocal version of Spears' track "Alien," off of her most recent album, "Britney Jean," leaked. As the video picked up steam, track producer William Orbit posted a statement Monday, July 7, explaining that the track is a vocal warm-up session, not Spears' final take.

"I'd like to affirm that ANY singer when first at the mic at the start of a long session can make a multitude of vocalisations in order to get warmed up," Orbit wrote. "Warming up is essential if you’re a pro, as it is with a runner doing stretches, and it takes a while to do properly. I’ve heard all manner of sounds emitted during warm-ups. The point is that it is not supposed to be shared with millions of listeners.

"A generous singer will put something down the mic to help the engineer get their systems warmed up and at the right level, maybe whilst having a cup of herb tea and checking through lyrics before the session really kicks off. It’s not expected to be a ‘take.'"

Flimsy defense. I've been around singers my whole life. We sang acapella every day from K-12. My girlfriend sang for a baroque chamber choir through college. Another of her current classmates was a professional singer. Never heard a singer sound this completely off pitch even when sight reading a new piece for the first time.

 

[see5harp]

This is a non issue. We don't listen to Britney Spears for her voice just like we don't care about whether or not an artist actually writes a song (i.e. Jimi Hendrix).

 

[Stet]

I listen to Jimi Hendrix for his voice.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

What is this?! Britney Spears isn't a great singer? After all this time, the truth is finally out! Now her CD sales will plummet!

 

[XANDER CAGE]

The main thing I'm getting out of this is that William Orbit is still producing stuff. Holy shit, I haven't heard a William Orbit track in fucking ages.

He's also a distant cousin of mine or something, so if you ever hear the electronic Adagio for Strings and get really annoyed you can sort of blame me.

 

[Anustart]

No longer available

 

[Talon]

What is this?! Britney Spears isn't a great singer? After all this time, the truth is finally out! Now her CD sales will plummet!

There wasn't any doubt of that.

"You Will Believe How Shitty This Singer Continues to Be!"

 

[CheDominik]

What have you done OP?
In 2 minutes, that place will be swarming with popgaf.

 

[Risible]

Already removed. Thanks DMCA!

 

[Acorn]

Vid is copyright claimed. That was quick.

 

[Talon]

What have you done OP?
In 2 minutes, that place will be swarming with popgaf.

Something something slaying faves basic bitch rabble rabble

 

[JordanKZ]

Has to be hosted somewhere else.

 

[perfectchaos007]

I'm more curious to hear what Paris Hilton's voice sounds like sans auto-tune/vocoders.

 

[Grym]

Well, it obviously is not my lucky day since it won't play. Thanks for getting my hopes up.

EDIT - I take it back. I heard it. awful...awful...even if it was warmup or a moment of getting the engineers ready...even if it was "I just woke up and was singing in the shower hungover and half awake" that was just horrible for a professional singer.

 

[Masquerader]

It sounds perfectly out-of-tune. As in, you could not get much more properly out of tune.

 

[Askani]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

http://perezhilton.com/2014-07-08-l...-auto-tune-william-orbit-defense#.U72U-VjK2Uk

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

Wow. That is awful.

Not unexpected.

 

[see5harp]

I listen to Jimi Hendrix for his voice.

Sorta bridging this with the similarly stupid Nicki Minaj "i write my own songs" thread.

 

[Stet]

Jesus Christ this is awful

 

[Majmun]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

 

[Red Liquorice]

Why does this always happen to Britney Spears? She's not exactly alone in using auto-tune.

 

[JordanKZ]

Oh heck, those high notes are so bad....

 

[Plywood]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

lol

 

[chugen]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

that's my jam

 

[Talon]

Why does this always happen to Britney Spears? She's not exactly alone in using auto-tune.

Clearly a conspiracy spearheaded by Xtina.

 

[Respect]

 

[Stet]

What's especially awful is the way she transitions between notes. It's like a digital switch. I assume this is to make it easier to autotune.

 

[Ivan 3414]

lol.

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Who cares. Bewbs

 

[codhand]

This is a non issue. We don't listen to Britney Spears for her voice just like we don't care about whether or not an artist actually writes a song (i.e. Jimi Hendrix).

 

[GK86]

So fucking bad.

Sounds like an alien being murdered.

 

[Mercury Fred]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

oh god

 

[davepoobond]

Never heard a singer sound this completely off pitch even when sight reading a new piece for the first time.

she isn't a singer, she is a performer.

 

[Betta Lines]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

The vocal doesn't sound completely unedited to me. It appears to have already had some work done to it. And I don't know why you'd do work to a 'warm up'.

 

[hughesta]

oh god I like it

at least it sounds human.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

I'm surprised the autotune didn't crash when faced with that.

 

[Dicer]

And yet still probably better than 95% of GAF's singing abilities.

 

[marrec]

People invested in Britney Spears aren't invested in Britney Spears because they think she's a talented singer.

:-/

 

[Dali]

Omg those YouTube comments, smh. People actually saying that's what "real" singers sound like. No wonder she's still famous lol.

 

[codhand]

And yet still probably better than 95% of GAF's singing abilities.

ya hear that? DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOBS GAF!

 

[Interfectum]

Get it while it lasts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_T9dP22-M

Between her having to auto-tune everything she sings and that severely photoshopped album cover of her face is there anything real about this girl?

 

[marrec]

ya here that? DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOBS GAF!

Now we need a "GAF Sings Britney Spears' Song Alien" challenge.

 

[jay]

And yet still probably better than 95% of GAF's singing abilities.

Is this a defense of Spears or an attack at GAF? Bizarre either way.

 

[Talon]

Omg those YouTube comments, smh. People actually saying that's what "real" singers sound like. No wonder she's still famous lol.

Oh God. This explains so much.

...T_T

 

[RandyBobandy]

My cat sounds better than this when I step on his tail

 

[codhand]

My cat sounds better than this when I step on his tail

well, he must not be a GAFer then.

 

[andycapps]

She really sounds like someone off the street with no sense of something being off-key or not. Almost like she only because a big artist because of her looks.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

Oh God. This explains so much.

...T_T

Remember:

 

[Sub_Level]

A singer with an enhanced voice is no worse than an girl who puts makeup on. Pop stars are about image.